LIMA — If there was any doubt that Ohio’s tornado season is in full force, Wednesday evening’s severe weather quelled the uncertainty.
The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in Park Layne, which is just north of Dayton in Clark County. A second EF1 tornado struck Miami County, roughly five miles southeast of Piqua. The NWS also confirmed an EF0 tornado near Medway, which is also in Clark County.
No one was injured, but the severe weather caused heavy damage to local businesses, homes, trees and power lines. In Park Layne alone, a Sunoco gas station was torn a part, and the Mel-O-Dee Restaurant, Family Dollar and Motor Sports of Dayton buildings were also damaged.
Though no tornadoes touched down in northwest Ohio, heavy rains caused flooding in Van Wert County. According to the Van Wert County Emergency Management Agency, between 5.5 and 8 inches of rain fell Wednesday between Ohio City and Wren, with the Willshire and Convoy areas receiving 4 inches of rain. The deluge of water caused flooding in Town Creek, Maddox Creek and Hoaglin Creek, with flooding spreading into the city.
Van Wert County is no stranger to severe weather. Since 1950, 33 tornadoes ranging from EF0s to EF4s have hit the county. It is tied with Franklin County for the most tornadoes to touch down in the state. In northwest Ohio, Putnam County has seen the second-most tornadoes touch down since 1950 (24), followed by Allen (19), Mercer (17), Auglaize (12) and Hardin (7) counties.
In Allen County, the most damaging tornado occurred on July 19, 1950. The twister caused $1.5 million in damages, and more than 30 people were injured. According to a story in The Lima News July 20, 1950, the most damage occurred on Murphy and Elizabeth streets, as well as Terrace Court, Collett Street and Delphos Avenue.
More recently, four tornadoes touched down in Van Wert County on Aug. 24, 2016, as well as one twister in Putnam County. Another tornado, an EF2, struck Cloverdale in Putnam County on Nov. 17, 2013. In the Auglaize County village of Cridersville, two EF2 twisters combined to cause millions of dollars in damage on Oct. 26, 2010.
Tornado season — a time in which most tornadoes strike — is typically between March and June, but violent twisters and major tornado outbreaks have been documented in the United States during every month of the year.
Bob Smerbeck, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said tornado season is usually between April and June in the Midwest, though it varies in Ohio. Smerbeck said in the lower Ohio valley, tornado season peaks between April and May. In northwest Ohio, it peaks in May and June.
This tornado season, Smerbeck said the U.S. is “above average” in terms of severe weather. Though it hasn’t reached record-breaking territory, the weather expert said strong storms will likely continue in the Midwest for the next few weeks.
“We will see some storms coming across the middle of the country, so we think the tornado count will continue to steadily rise,” Smerbeck said. “It’s possible that the tornado season continues strong into June and even into July in the Midwest and parts of the Ohio valley, and then it could become a little quieter. We think August is going to be a quieter month for the Midwest and the Ohio valley. “
With a possibility of more tornadoes entering Ohio in the coming weeks, Smerbeck offered some tips on how to stay safe during a severe weather event. He said it’s most important to exercise “situational awareness.”
“When you hear of a tornado watch for your location, you have to be aware of what you’re going to be doing that day, and where you will likely be at if a strong thunderstorm or a tornado were to come in,” he said. “Whether you’re in your car, in the office or at home, you have to think, ‘what’s my plan of attack if a warning goes off?’
“You’ve got to know where to be safe.”
For homeowners, the basement is always the safest location. Once in the basement, Smerbeck recommends hiding under a workbench or a mattress so that falling items will not cause damage to a person’s head. If there are major appliances in the basement, such as a refrigerator or oven, Smerbeck said it’s best to steer clear of those areas in case the floor collapses or the appliances topple over.
If you do not have a basement, he said to find an interior closet or bathroom.
“Anywhere that has the most amount of walls between you and the outside is the best place to be,” he said. “Get in there with a mattress or pillows for protection — anything to cover your head. The bathroom is especially a good place because the extra piping can act as somewhat of a protective cage.”
For those who are at their place of work during a tornado, Smerbeck said to make sure there is some type of procedure that shows people where to go in case of this type of emergency.
The most difficult area to stay safe during a tornado is outside, for obvious reasons. If a person happens to be driving in their car when the tornado strikes, Smerbeck said to exit the vehicle and find the nearest ditch to take shelter in.
“The best place to be outside is in a ditch away from projectiles like cars or stuff like that,” he said. “That’s about as good as it gets. It’s certainly better than being in your car.”
However, if there is simply no time to exit the vehicle, Smerbeck said to make sure their seat belt is secured and that they stay low inside the car.
“People do survive getting rolled by tornadoes in their car,” he said. “But you have to make sure your seat belt is on because it wouldn’t take much at all to fling you right out of the car. That’s what you want to do if you have no choice whatsoever.”
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